I like flea markets and power tools, parties and pillows. I’m a mommy and a decorator, and a diehard DIYer. Join me and my little family as we renovate our new (old) home with lots of love and plenty of elbow grease.

How to Remove White Heat Marks on Furniture

During the holidays we had some friends over for a dinner party. We served an extra hot meal that night and after everyone left and the dishes were cleared and the table linens removed, I discovered foggy white marks all over my beautiful new table. This one was the smallest, though brightest mark.

Before I had a chance to freak out too much, my husband did some googling and we discovered that on some pieces of furniture if moisture (usually from the steam condensation on a hot dish) gets under the finish, white splotches called heat marks will appear and will stick around until treated.

You'll be surprised to learn, as I was, that to remedy heat marks, you apply... more heat and moisture! Weird, right? I just used two folded over clean white linen napkins and sprayed them down a little with water. You want there to be several layers of cloth between your iron and the table surface. Then I ironed over the napkins on top of the heat marks for about 15 seconds with the iron on a medium heat/steam setting. Don't just set the iron down though - keep it moving.

I have no clue why my table looks so dark here. Must have messed up the camera settings.

It was like magic and the heat marks disappeared (though in these photos I can see I missed a spot that doesn't show in person).

Anyway, random post today, but I thought maybe some of you might have had a similar issue with your wood furniture. Or if in the future you see these heat marks on a thrift store table, don't pass on it - it's an easy 15 second fix. I can remember one gorgeous coffee table that I didn't buy because of it's heat marks. I thought I would need to strip and refinish the whole thing! Who knew?

**A little disclaimer: this trick worked for me, but I guess a few other readers have not had success. It might be wise for you to try a less conspicuous area on your table first. Be sure you're using damp cloths with your iron on a medium setting with steam. And be sure to keep your iron moving!**

OMG..who would have thought it would be so easy...One of my end tables was similarly spoiled after i put a box of hot pizza on it...since refinishing it would have been a task I just put a marble top on the existing top...Thanks Jenny for this very useful post...i'm sure it'll come in handy some day :)

there's also a product called howard's restore-a-finish that will work wonders on heat marks, small scratches, etc. i "restored" a flea market table that had serious heat marks. it just requires steel wool and the product - very easy. i wish i had pictures. it was that impressive. (ps. i'm not affiliated with the company, just a good thing to have on hand for floors or furniture)

Thank you so much for posting this! The exact same thing happened to our dining room table after a party. I was devastated and have been covering it with linens to hide the discoloring since it happened. I had no idea we could actually fix it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Hmmm, just tried this and ummm, not sure what I did wrong, but I seem to have made it worse. Much worse. As in, iron print on my table worse. I'm sure it's just user error (and we were ditching the table anyway, so it's not a huge deal), but proceed with caution, those of you who are attempting this. Maybe I needed a lower heat setting????

Oh wow! This is great. I have a dark gate leg table that is beautiful and unique... and even more unique now b/c it has a huge mark like this in the middle. I have just pushed this table aside for the last six months... and now I can try to repair it!! Thanks!!!

I just had to go through this same situation. Luckily, my table is ikea and not a crazy gorgeous antique! P.S. The Pier 1 on 87th(ish) and 3rd lost their lease and everything in the store is 30-40% off. But it's only that particular store. I know from being a devoted LGN follower that you kinda like Pier 1 :) so I thought I'd pass on the info...

I just discovered your blog and have been obsessed with it for the past week. I'm moving to a small apartment with a small kitchen (in Japan) and your blog has been so helpful. Can't wait to try this on my desk. Any posts on small spaces would be great. Or posts on how to change a look of a room (ie, Japanese room with sliding doors and tatami mats) into a different feel without removing the items. I love Japan but I want my home to feel more like me. Any tips?

You need to get a table pad to go under your table linens to prevent this. I have one and I love it. I don't have to worry during dinner when friends are over!! Just search on Amazon or whatever.... You cut it to fit. Vinyl on top to prevent spills, etc. from ruining and felt like material on bottom to pad and protect from heat. Peace of mind....

This happened at our family get-together - on our aunt's antique table - we were horrified! The woodworker in the family tried denatured alcohol on a soft cloth (tested first in inconspicuous spot) and it worked!

Amazing! thanks for sharing! I'll have to try this on our desk which has man of these (and scratches...) perhaps with a napkin, an iron and one of those furniture markers I won't have to sand and stain it!

Thanks for the tip. I have that problem in the past with our table as well. I found a thermal liner tablecloth, I think at Bed, Bath and Beyond, it can be cut to size. Now, I always put that under my tablecloth and I don't have to worry! Have a great one, Laura

We recently bought a beautiful vintage dinner table and the same thing happened to us! My husband researched and tried to figure out how to fix it and saw that this same idea works. He tried it and it only made the spots worse! We were so sad. I think we'll have to refinish our table eventually. I think it does work 99% of the time though! Bummer for us :(

Jules - did you put down any cloth? I think the wet cloth is the key. Also, be sure to have your iron on a medium setting, and keep that iron moving! It might be worth trying again. Also, I read that mayonnaise works in some situations?

HOLY COW, THANK YOU. I did the same thing to my dark-stained dinner table, and I've been strategically placing bowls and vases over the splotches ever since. I just assumed I ruined it (I have a knack). Ah, there's hope!

I have an antique buffet with a veneered finish, and I was afraid to add moisture to it to get rid of a white mark. I read that you can make a paste of ashes (cigarette, bbq, etc) and leave it on overnight, and the ring would be removed--totally works! I keep a bit of ash from the firepit tucked away each year, just in case...

I'm so excited to read this post! I have the EXACT same problem right smack in the middle of our farmhouse style table and I've just been covering it up with a bowl full of fresh fruit! Yay... I'm trying this today!

AAAmaazing!!! Thanks so much! When I was pregnant I ordered lots of pizza's and I set one down right on our entry table that is a dark finish and now there is a big contrasting white heat mark - so glad it can be fixed!!!

I had a heat marks on my coffee table a couple of years ago. I googled a remedy too, but was afraid to use an iron. I tried the toothpaste and ashes method and it worked like a charm. You have to get the paste toothpaste and not the gel type.

Weird! That's such a great tip, though! I left some weird heat rings on my table the other day (dark mahogany) and I thought I was stuck with them. And yeah, they looked really "foggy" so it must be heat.

Thank you, thank you! I used our dining table as a work table to make some curtains awhile back and my steam ironing left a faint white mark.. even though I was using one of those cardboard sewing mats.

mix together a tablespoon of mayonnaise and the ashes from one cigarette (it'll look like cookies-n-cream ice cream). gently rub that on the ring for a few seconds, allowing some to stand on top. let it hang out for 5-10 minutes. wipe it off and VOILA! bye-bye water ring!

I inherited my great grandmother's dining table and tried this on a heat mark (a while ago)but it created an iron mark. I may try some of the suggestions from the commenters - denatured alcohol or Howard's Restore-a-Finish. I think it depends on how the table is finished. I realized that mine does not have a polyurethane finish on it. I'm not sure when the table was made - the 40s or 50s. I don't know how they finished furniture back then. I should maybe contact somebody who works with antiques but I don't know where to start. I'm afraid to make it worse and I can't try to refinish it myself b/c I don't know what the heck i'm doing! :) It's a beautiful table with three leaves. Right now I have a table cloth on it but I want to see the beautiful wood!

I just tried this (I was also 8:08 a.m.) and it made the marks a lot worse and bigger because of the size of the iron as opposed to the marks. I had my iron at medium, with steam and kept it moving the whole 10-15 seconds. Maybe this only works on some finishes/woods? Anyway, be careful, those who may try this. Maybe test on the underside of the table?

OK, it's me again 8:08 and 7:27 - success! I used a clean white (dry) tshirt, folded in half, with the iron at a high setting with steam and the marks are now gone! I googled the problem and found this solution.

Anyway, not saying to do what I did but hopefully this might help Jules @8:52.

My mom and I tried this when we ruined my grandfather's antique table at Christmas...it helped but didn't completely get rid of the spot. We also massaged some olive oil into the table and that helped a lot too!

I've had success with using cigarette ashes mixed with some water to create a paste then rubbing it in with a toothbrush. After a little arm power, the water marks disappear. The only problem is finding someone who smokes so you can get the ashes.

This worked on Vodka rings that were left on my kitchen table after my friends and I made homemade vanilla for Christmas presents.

I am very grateful to you for posting this! I had a mark like that on my piano, and I was so sad to think I was just going to have to live with it. Just tried this trick and it worked perfectly! I'm so pleased!

Random Post? What? I LOVE IT! Thank you so much Jenny!! I heard about this remedy too, but I was afraid to try it. Now that you have tested the waters, I'll give it a try! Thank you soooo much!!!!!!!!!

This is such a timely and appreciated post. Just this week I made enchiladas for our girls and their babysitter -- but the babysitter apparently took the pan from the oven and put it directly onto my beautiful mahogany dining table, because when we came home, our table was ruined! You've saved me much stress this week; thanks so much!

I had one ring - from forever ago - it would drive me crazy! I had tried mayonnaise, olive oil, Murphy's Oil soap. I was excited when I read about the iron and rushed to try it. Now I have the ring and another larger spot. I'm not sure what to do. I tried the toothpaste and this made the one new spot a little better, but did nothing to the old spot. I have put mayonnaise on both spots and am praying at least the new spot will go away. I thought I had it bad with just the one spot - please advise. Maybe I should try the ashes - from a cigar? Thanks.

Hi, we had the same problem with our new dining room table. Looked online at a carpentry site, and they recommended buffing it with denatured alcohol and a soft cotton cloth. I did that and it worked! I've actually done it multiple times for other heat marks, and they always come out. So those of you for whom the ironing trick doesn't work, try a little denatured alcohol (not rubbing alcohol).

Thanks for the lovely post. Good to know that there are other options to fix those random oversights!

From experience: someone who has furniture polishers and carpenters redo furniture even at the slightest sight of a nick/mark, we've known denatured alcohol is the quickest and most technically opted route.

A month ago I messed up my hallway table (inlay work et al) while taking the easy route of ironing a table cloth on it. Since I would've had to wait for DH to come home and help out with dentured alcohol, I chose to use my quick way out.

Rub down regular daily cooking oil or olive oil and wipe excess off with a soft cloth. Works!

So I tried this and it made my spots worse, but what did work perfectly was using a craft heat gun, hold it close and slowly move it across the spot, you can see it disappear. I have a mahogany table and it didn't damage it at all. Not all heat guns have the same wattage, I used the Darice craft heat gun.

We constantly have problems with this! I use a liberal application of Pledge orange OIL (NOT the regular stuff, the oil with the orange top in a squirt bottle) and then wipe it all off or it will be super slippery. We have a cheap-ish dark wood table and I assume every time we eat I will be left wth spots to remove later. Sometimes it takes a couple applications, but eventually they fade. I was using tablecloths for a while, but it left me with even grosser, FUZZY heat marks where the tablecloth had steamed itself to the table... So now we oil it up. So glad to know I'm not the only one!!! Thanks!

wow thanks for sharing we constantly put hot food on the table and made white marks on it. My husband laborously repainted and refinished our breakfast table. From then on we are so careful not to leave white marks on our table...ahhh there's hope we can live normal again.

THANK YOU!!!! I had a HUGE spot (about 12 inches by 10 inches) from being stupid enough to iron on a towel on my dining room table. I have been prepping to sand and refinish the top, but was beside myself wondering how to match it to the chairs and hutch. This helped SO MUCH!!!! Not 100%, but much much MUCH improved... you have to really look closely now to see it.

We had a minor hot mug ring in our 50+ year old coffee table. Not being sure what the finish is, I was reluctant to use the iron technique. After reading the denatured alcohol I grabbed it from our pantry and used a cotton t-shirt to rub the spot. It worked!!! I am beyond excited to no longer have to awkwardly cover it with table decorations. Now to fix the fork dings...

I just heard about this site today...and I put a cup of coffee ona side table and did not bother with a coaster and sure enough a big white ring when I picked up my coffee cup!!! So, I thought, good opportunity toncheck out this site. And I glad I did!!! This technique works beautifully!!!! Ring is gone!!!! Thank you so very much!!!

I just heard about this site today...and I put a cup of coffee ona side table and did not bother with a coaster and sure enough a big white ring when I picked up my coffee cup!!! So, I thought, good opportunity toncheck out this site. And I glad I did!!! This technique works beautifully!!!! Ring is gone!!!! Thank you so very much!!!

didn't read all the comments and this may have already come up - but a less scary and equally effective method is to mix tobacco ashes and toothpaste! It has to be "old-fashioned" toothpaste. Not gel or the liquidy kind, and has to be tobacco ashes. I have used cigarette and pipe ashes and they both work.I actually keep a tube of original Crest in my sideboard so I can find it when I get rings on my dining room table-have to hunt down a smoker for the ashes! Make a paste with a lot of ashes and enough toothpaste to spread it on. Leave a couple of hours, wipe with damp sponge and mark is gone. My grandmother and mother have done this to their antiques for decades and never a problem..also did it to several pieces in my sorority house in college...fail proof!

I was so excited to try this...and I failede. BUT...I didn't give up. I am not sure what the science is behind this, but I believe it has to do with the evaporation speed. If I just ironed and then lifted off, the center would be gone, but the edges were still there. So I would try to get the edges gone and I just kept spreading the circle bigger...ugh. Then I wet the cloth a little more (wet,but not soaked) ran the iron over it for 10 -15. Took Iron off, lifted cloth, put cloth back down and when it wasn't just cool enough to touch, I buffed with it until moister evaporated...WORKED...it WORKED!!! Thank you it WORKED :)

I ruined my mom's coffee table this way and didn't have any idea how to treat it and there was no internet back then. I am so happy to know how to fix the problem if it ever happens again. thanks for sharing.

Thank you so much! I was cooking dinner at my boyfriends house and set some of the dishes on their nice dining room table and had two large white marks on the table top. This worked like a dream! Thank you so much for posting this amazing trick!

This is completely unbelievable!! I had a place on my kitchen cabinets where steam from the coffee maker had made a white stain that I could not remove, and this trick took care of it in seconds!! Thanks so much for sharing!!

Please be careful if you use this on sixties Italian furniture! I tried it, did everything right (medium warm, folded linnen cloth, 15 seconds ironing) and my dressoir is completely ruined. It looks awful, and i wish I had never tried it :( Could be the finish or the material, I don't know...

Thank you!I did some canning last week and put the jars on the wooden table to cool (with 3 layers of towels so I thought it would be protected) and was disappointed to see that I had made a lovely polka-dot pattern on our table!I tried your ironing trick - although I was skeptical - and it worked. Now my 2 year old cannot continue to tell everyone that, "Mama wrecked the table". Thank you

This is genious! I litereally pinned this yesterday morning and last night I made dinner and put the hot glass dish on a dish towel (instead of a trivet) and low and behold it left a HUGE white spot on my brand new kitchen table!! I was so upset since it looked terrible and was hoping this technique would do the trick. I was skeptical, but I tried it and IT WORKED LIKE A CHARM!!!!! NO MORE WHITE SPOT!! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this idea!!

Thank you for posting this...I just tried it on our vintage pine dining table with a clean white dish cloth and it worked...key is to keep the iron moving, I used a circular motion and did it in 10 second intervals, removing the dish cloth in between and wiping dry the area. You are a genus!

thanks to you and the internet! ordered take out food last night, ate on the coffee table and went to bed with the decision to clean up in the morning. You can imagine the horror when I saw the white marks left under the to-go containers. Thanks again for the tip. Followed your instructions exactly and voila, stain is gone!

My housemate put a boiling hot casserole dish on a dark mahogany coloured table - like the table above even with the detail - with a thin dish cloth underneath and left a huge white mark and you could even see the cloth texture as well!

I got a cotton pillow case and folded it into thirds, spritzed it with water from a plant sprayer and ironed on low/ medium heat, I kept the iron moving taking it off every 5-10 seconds then checking and going again, I added a bit more water half way through and ITS GONE!!!!